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Ships have always played a vital role transporting people and cargo. Since the 1960s, however, the leisure cruise market has focused on entertainment rather than transport, providing a full vacation experience and delivering passengers back to the point of origin. Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, better known as the Jones Act, combined with the 1886 Passenger Vessel Services Act, prohibits foreign-flagged carriers from transporting passengers or goods one way between United States ports. However, one-way travel between two countries is permitted. Although other one-way itineraries exist, four are common.

Transatlantic

In 1840, Cunard became the first shipping line to offer regular passenger cruises between New York and England. Today, Cunard offers numerous week-long crossings throughout the year on the deluxe Queen Mary 2. Cunard, along with competitors such as Princess and Crystal, also offers three-month world cruises. In addition, virtually all cruise lines reposition some of their ships to cold-weather locations in the spring and warm-weather locations each fall. Repositioning cruises are generally two weeks long, visit only a handful of ports and offer surprisingly low rates.

Alaska

While round-trip Alaska cruises generally sail from Seattle, one-way cruises depart from Vancouver, British Columbia. Several cruise lines ply this route including Carnival, Celebrity and Princess. You can choose to sail either northbound to Alaska or southbound to Vancouver. A one-way cruise allows you to spend as much time as you like exploring interior Alaska rather than focusing solely on the islands of the Inside Passage. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry system offers a budget option, providing transportation from Bellingham, Washington, to mainland Alaska and the surrounding islands.

Panama Canal

At first glance, Panama Canal crossings seem to violate the Jones Act, since they generally travel between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and San Diego or San Francisco, California. You can board at either end and disembark at the other. However, there is an exception to the Act for vessels calling at a “distant port.” Canada, Mexico, most Caribbean islands and Central America do not count as distant ports. Panama Canal transits generally stop in Cartagena, Columbia or another South American port.

Europe

Europe offers a seemingly endless array of one-way itineraries, from Northern Viking routes to “ancient city” itineraries that depart from Rome. Cruise lines that cater to American passengers often use American dollars as their preferred currency. Depending on the exchange rate at the time of your visit, cruising may actually be less expensive than taking the train, which is priced in Euros. If you have enough time, it is possible to take a spring repositioning cruise to Europe, spend the summer sailing different itineraries and return to the United States on a fall repositioning cruise.

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About the Author

Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer specializing in disabled adventure travel. She spent 15 years working for Central Florida theme parks and frequently travels with her disabled father. Fritscher's work can be found in both print and online mediums, including VisualTravelTours.com. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of South Florida.

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